Indian Brands and Canopy Unite to Protect Forests and Champion Circular Fashion Solutions

Delhi, December 7, 2024 – Indian fashion brands Doodlage, Lovebirds, Ka-Sha, Paiwand Studio, Sonam Khetan, and Urvashi Kaur are the latest to join Canopy, a solutions-driven environmental non-profit and global movement to safeguard the world’s climate- and biodiversity-critical forests and accelerate Next Gen Solutions for the fashion industry. These brands join the ranks of Indian sustainability leaders Flipkart and Anita Dongre, as well as Canopy’s international network of 1000+ companies, further solidifying India’s growing role in the international shift towards circular supply chains and forest protection.

This announcement follows Canopy’s recent Fashion for Forests event held in New Delhi, which convened some of India’s most forward-thinking fashion brands, designers, and innovators. Discussions focused on reducing the industry’s sourcing risk and impact on Ancient and Endangered Forests as well as scaling Next Gen materials that utilize recycled clothing and agricultural residues rather than trees as inputs for textiles and packaging production. The event underscored India’s potential to lead the charge in low-carbon, sustainable materials.

“These brands reflect the soul and future of Indian fashion — craftsmanship, innovation, and being on the leading edge of the sustainability transition,” said Nicole Rycroft, Founder and Executive Director of Canopy. “India has a remarkable opportunity to not only protect its rich biodiversity but also become a global leader in low-impact Next Gen textiles that mitigate climate change and air pollution whilst spurring community advancement. We are thrilled to partner with these trailblazing brands to turn India’s opportunity into reality.”

India is uniquely positioned to champion Next Gen Solutions — alternatives to conventional wood fibres for paper, packaging, and textiles often sourced from materials that would otherwise be landfilled (discarded textiles) or burned (agricultural residues). With an estimated 500 million tonnes of agricultural residues, like wheat and rice straw, burned annually, India’s waste problem contributes to 3.5% of global warming and severe air pollution. By transforming these residues into textiles and packaging, India can scale the production of Next Gen materials by up to 10 million tonnes annually. Doing so would position India competitively as an early global leader in low-carbon, circular materials whilst also reducing environmental harm and creating sustainable economic opportunities for farming and urban communities.

“At Lovebirds, we believe in creating with purpose and responsibility. Partnering with Canopy Planet is a natural step in our journey to protect forests and prioritize sustainability in every aspect of our work—from fabric sourcing to packaging.” Said Gursi Singh and Amrita Khanna, Founders.

The addition of Doodlage, Lovebirds, Ka-Sha, Paiwand Studio, Sonam Khetan, and Urvashi Kaur brings the CanopyStyle initiative to 560 brand partners globally, collectively representing over $1.06 trillion in annual revenues. Brands can immediately mitigate their risk of sourcing from Ancient and Endangered Forests by sourcing from viscose producers that attain green shirt status in Canopy’s Hot Button Report — an annual rating of global viscose producers. Additionally, Pack4Good, Canopy’s initiative to eliminate the use of virgin forest fibre in paper packaging, has now garnered 432 committed brands with annual revenues exceeding $240 billion.

“At Ka-Sha, through this partnership we are furthering our endeavours towards Responsible Production & Consumption by committing to Protect Forests Through Our Paper, Packaging and Fabric Choices. Working with Canopy will help us join forces to achieve mutually aligned goals and support our existing circular system in a more effective way. Their policies will initiate a solid structure, which will enable us to evaluate what we do in a more impactful way and build our network of conscious makers. Their innovation with Next Gen Materials will give us the chance to explore newer materials and expand the possibilities of what our work could look like in the future.” said Karishma Shahani Khan, Founder of Ka-Sha.

These partnerships exemplify how fashion can drive positive environmental change. From scaling circular clothing and packaging made from agricultural residues and textile waste, these Indian brands are proving that creativity, economic growth, and sustainability go hand in hand.